House Rules

[dsatow]

Just a general question for those using 6th ed now.

 

What house rules do people use for 6th Ed?

[Lucius]

Re: House Rules

 

Hm...well there's this one from Rules as Written

 

"Transforms that grant the target abilities — for

example, Transforming a man so he grows wings

(he gains Flight) or becomes wealthy (he gains

Money) — cannot grant a Skill to a target unless

the character using the Transform knows that Skill

himself, and cannot grant the Skill at a higher level

than he knows it."

 

This is a fundamentally pointless rule that would certainly be ignored if I'm running the game.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

House of the Palindromedary

[Ragitsu]

Re: House Rules

 

Despite that, Cuddy gives him a lot of flak.

[Xavier Onassiss]

Re: House Rules

 

You mean, other than the official optional rules in the Hero System rulebooks?

 

House Rule Number One: NO HOUSE RULES.

[prestidigitator]

Re: House Rules

 

I think you'll find enough discussion of that in other threads, and not enough willingness for people to repeat most of it here. But I could be wrong.

 

I ALWAYS have house rules of some sort or another peeking in from time to time. Plenty of things like "critical hits" and places you can use Modifiers in non-standard ways and such. I still use my own Bleeding rules when I use Bleeding at all.

[JavalTigar]

Re: House Rules

 

I have always been a fan of the "These are Guidelines" mentality with other systems. However with the Hero System, it's flexibility pretty much throws that right out the window.

 

About the only thing as a GM I alter is END. I don't track it but I just make sure that all the players have enough to last at full power for 2 turns. I haven't seen combat last too much longer than that. Works out okay for my players.

[Fearghus]

Re: House Rules

 

House rules in my games tend to vary from game to game. I may make different house rules for a high fantasy game that I would for cyber punk than I would for a champions game. In heroic games I disconnect speed and movement and house rule that characters can not travel father than twice their non-combat movement in one turn. In super heroic games movement and speed varies so much it doesn't seem to effect game play, but I have always found it annoying when a wizard casts a spell that makes his movement fast so that he can run away, but the monk that spent all his points on speed can still overtake him with average movement.

 

In the end it does not matter what the house rules are so long as they are known BEFORE character generation so that players can plan accordingly. This is the most important thing in my mind not what the house rules are, but making sure the house rules are thought out and defined properly, and everyone is aware of them.

[dsatow]

Re: House Rules

 

I generally want to know what house rules other people apply to see what I might apply to my own games. So far, I have a few for 6th Ed, that I think I'll apply.

 

1. Diving for cover or Flying Dodge, when used to avoid an area of effect, requires a Dex roll at -1 per 2m dived to avoid the area of effect. Using a movement power with position shift adder or a successful breakfall roll at penalty, a PC may stay standing at the conclusion of the dive for cover so long as the PC is conscious and unstunned.
    
   I do not like all the advantages that Flying Dodge gives a user, so this cuts it back some and makes it more even handed.
    
   
2. For multiple attack (or when trying to multitask) players will receive a straight cumulative -2 to OCV, DCV, and skill rolls per extra action they want to multi-task with. Dodges may not be combined with any attack, though other defensive maneuvers may be. You may not abort to a multiple attack/action. Defensive maneuvers are applied first. If the action is not applicable, if fails and fails all subsequent actions. Other limitations still apply.
    
   I do not think that doing a multiple attack should drop your CVs so much unless you try to do too much with it. I also like the idea of doing a block and counter all in the same phase, like you see in so many movies, comics, etc. Adding the -2 to skill rolls allows players to try to say unlock a door while returning fire or jumping from the roof firing at a target and breakfalling to the ground.
   

[Talon]

Re: House Rules

 

Probably house rules for me:

 

• When using a weapon with STR Min above your STR, you do full damage but pay END for the full STR used (and suffer the normal OCV penalty)
  
• Involved house rules for exhaustion (penalties for being at 3/4, 1/2, 1/4 END) and long-distance travel
  
• Flying Dodge (and most FMove manuevers) are under strict scrutiny (and may well be disallowed)
  

 

I would also like to experiment with allowing characters to move after an attack (i.e., Attack actions do not automatically end your Phase).

[Susano]

Re: House Rules

 

A popular house rule that I've developed a liking for is the 1 BODY for every 20 STUN you take (in a single lump sum after defenses.) It helps simulate the general abuse characters seem to take in the course of many fights (especially super fights.) Said STUN can be anything -- Normal, Killing, Mental, NND damage. Just as long as you take a lump sum of 20 after your defenses are factored in, you take a point of BODY damage. And that's per each set of 20. So take 55 STUN after defenses? Take 2 BODY.

[prestidigitator]

Re: House Rules

 

Here is a solid new house rule for me.

[The Main Man]

Re: House Rules

 

Here's one I use:

 

Blocking does not stop the effects of the Penetrating Power Advantage.

[Nolgroth]

Re: House Rules

 

For my campaigns, I designate a normal Skill Maximum. Usually that is either 13- or 14-. I then allow each player to designate two Expert skills and one Master skill for his character. Once designated, the Expert skills can be purchased at 1 point higher than the normal Skill Maximum. The Master skill can be purchased at 2 points higher than the normal Skill Maximum.

[Susano]

Re: House Rules

 

Here's one I use:

 

Blocking does not stop the effects of the Penetrating Power Advantage.

 

Perfect for Street Fighter Hero.

[ShadowEater]

Re: House Rules

 

Two related ones that just came up in chat recently:

 

One can use Transform on themselves under two circumstances:

-When it is caused by a 'usable by anyone who gets a hold of it' focus (potion of bat-form is not a multiform/transform multipower)

 

-When it is used explicitly to undo the effect of another transform (master wizard can magic himself out of the 'turned purple' transformation that a pesky imp cast on him)

[Susano]

Re: House Rules

 

Actually, now that I think about it... Kazei 5 is a lot of house rules all packaged under a single cover.

[Talon]

Re: House Rules

 

Use the Resistant Protection power instead of the Resistant Advantage whenever possible.

[Susano]

Re: House Rules

 

Use the Resistant Protection power instead of the Resistant Advantage whenever possible.

 

Gee... I wonder what thread brought that on?

[Ice9]

Re: House Rules

 

Like Lucius, I ignore the strange skill-ban on Transform.

I also allow Ranged based on Strength on HTH attacks. Blunt throwing weapons should be possible, and not more expensive than sharp throwing weapons.

I price Dexterity (and the associated skill levels) the same as Int and Pre - i.e. 1:1.

I set the limitation values for "Defense Only vs X" a lot higher than the book examples. If you're only likely to face a given form of attack 20% of the time, I'd put it at -4.

 

And I may start using this one:

For multiple attack (or when trying to multitask) players will receive a straight cumulative -2 to OCV, DCV, and skill rolls per extra action they want to multi-task with. Dodges may not be combined with any attack, though other defensive maneuvers may be. You may not abort to a multiple attack/action. Defensive maneuvers are applied first. If the action is not applicable, if fails and fails all subsequent actions. Other limitations still apply.

.

 

Use the Resistant Protection power instead of the Resistant Advantage whenever possible.

I do the reverse - Resistant Protection is always priced as if you'd bought the advantage, and the advantage works like every other advantage, not some weird special case. Paying for an advantage on (effectively) an advantage never made sense to me, not even in 5E.

[Susano]

Re: House Rules

 

Hm...well there's this one from Rules as Written

 

"Transforms that grant the target abilities — for

example, Transforming a man so he grows wings

(he gains Flight) or becomes wealthy (he gains

Money) — cannot grant a Skill to a target unless

the character using the Transform knows that Skill

himself, and cannot grant the Skill at a higher level

than he knows it."

 

This is a fundamentally pointless rule that would certainly be ignored if I'm running the game.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

House of the Palindromedary

 

I'll admit, I've never liked that rule either.

[The Main Man]

Re: House Rules

 

What's this about favoring Resistant Protection over the Resistant Power Advantage?

 

Resistant Protection isn't just PD/ED with the Resistant Power Advantage. First, one's a Power, while the other's a Characteristic that can be bought as a Power. Thus, they are adjusted as distinctly different mechanics. Second, you can Dispel Powers but not Characteristics. Third, all defenses bought through Resistant Protection count as a single power (again, a double edged sword when it comes to Adjustment powers). Fourth, Resistance is part of RP's base cost, so adding Power Advantages is technically cheaper with individual, nonresistant defenses.

 

Or did I miss something else?

[archermoo]

Re: House Rules

 

What's this about favoring Resistant Protection over the Resistant Power Advantage?

 

Resistant Protection isn't just PD/ED with the Resistant Power Advantage. First, one's a Power, while the other's a Characteristic that can be bought as a Power. Thus, they are adjusted as distinctly different mechanics. Second, you can Dispel Powers but not Characteristics. Third, all defenses bought through Resistant Protection count as a single power (again, a double edged sword when it comes to Adjustment powers). Fourth, Resistance is part of RP's base cost, so adding Power Advantages is technically cheaper with individual, nonresistant defenses.

 

Or did I miss something else?

 

As to the cost, that actually isn't the case. Officially from Steve if you want to buy for instance 20PD and 20ED and want both to be Resistant and Hardened you have to buy them like this:

 

18 18PD (20 total with your base)

18 18ED (20 total with your base)

10 Hardened (+1/4) for 20PD/20ED

25 Resistant (+1/2) for 20PD/20ED Hardened (+1/4)

 

For a total of 71 points. The same cost as buying 20PD 20EP Resistant Protection (Hardened (+1/4), after you sell back your innate 2PD/2ED.

 

And there is no reason that you can't buy multiple instances of Resistant Protection on one character. A 5rPD/5rED suit of Armor along with a 15rPD/15rED force field and a mind shield with 10rMD could easily be three separate Powers rather than just one big one.

[Greywind]

Re: House Rules

 

Here's one I use:

 

Blocking does not stop the effects of the Penetrating Power Advantage.

...and if you try it automatically results in a disabling wound for your character.

[The Main Man]

Re: House Rules

 

As to the cost, that actually isn't the case. Officially from Steve if you want to buy for instance 20PD and 20ED and want both to be Resistant and Hardened you have to buy them like this:

 

18 18PD (20 total with your base)

18 18ED (20 total with your base)

10 Hardened (+1/4) for 20PD/20ED

25 Resistant (+1/2) for 20PD/20ED Hardened (+1/4)

 

For a total of 71 points. The same cost as buying 20PD 20EP Resistant Protection (Hardened (+1/4), after you sell back your innate 2PD/2ED.

 

And there is no reason that you can't buy multiple instances of Resistant Protection on one character. A 5rPD/5rED suit of Armor along with a 15rPD/15rED force field and a mind shield with 10rMD could easily be three separate Powers rather than just one big one.

 

Your first point taught me something new and your second point compounds the differences.

[Talon]

Re: House Rules

 

As to the cost, that actually isn't the case. Officially from Steve if you want to buy for instance 20PD and 20ED and want both to be Resistant and Hardened you have to buy them like this:

 

18 18PD (20 total with your base)

18 18ED (20 total with your base)

10 Hardened (+1/4) for 20PD/20ED

25 Resistant (+1/2) for 20PD/20ED Hardened (+1/4)

 

For a total of 71 points. The same cost as buying 20PD 20EP Resistant Protection (Hardened (+1/4), after you sell back your innate 2PD/2ED.

 

And there is no reason that you can't buy multiple instances of Resistant Protection on one character. A 5rPD/5rED suit of Armor along with a 15rPD/15rED force field and a mind shield with 10rMD could easily be three separate Powers rather than just one big one.

 

I will note that the Resistant Advantage section in 6E directly contradicts this -- I understand why Steve did it that way (hence the house rule), but I would rather disallow such uses of the Advantage than break one of the fundamental principles of the Hero System.